I remember as a kid having to eat peas and hating them. I use to swallow them whole with a big gulp of milk, which was just as bad, but better than the peas by themselves.
Fast forward, 40 + years and I never thought I would say that I love peas! But not just any kind of peas...I lovvvvvvve Fresh English Peas! Okay, I admit, Fresh Black Eyed Peas are my all time favorite, thanks to my Grandmother who use to always bring them to our house for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. But....Fresh English Peas run a close race!
Now these are not the easiest things (or cheapest!) to find in California...but then again any "Southern Gal" would tell you that you can't find good Southern food anywhere, but in Texas! After living in California for 21 years, I am always on the search for good "Southern" food findings....Not impossible, but it will cost me a small fortune to buy the Southern things I love if I can find them in the first place. Every once in a while I am able to find "Gulf Shrimp" on a menu. I use to be able to find Fresh Black Eyed Peas, but the store I was getting them at upgraded, and decided that a Boar's Head Deli was more favorable then those darn black eyed peas.
My newest finding is at Whole Foods Markets ( which is about 25 minutes away from my house) You guessed it, it is those wonderful little green peas that I use to hate! ( but then again my mom never served them "fresh" ) At $3.99/lb. they are not cheap, but well worth the extra dollars. I buy a big bag full, bring them home, and sit on the couch to get those precious peas out of their shells. When all is said and done, I have a little bowl of gold! You would think that you would get a lot more for your money, but you don't so I have learned to stretch those little green things to go along way.
I place my "little gold nuggets" into a pot along with halved red new potatoes and let them bowl until all is tender. After draining them, I add a couple tablespoons of flour, carefully mixing it all around. Then I add some milk, lots of salt and pepper and let it thicken up to a nice and thick yummy cream sauce. I am now in heaven!
Okay, I know this isn't the healthiest way to eat peas, but hey, we're talking Southern here.
Now that I know where I can buy my peas, I am going to look for a healthier way to fix them... The California way...after all, I'm a "California Gal" now.
So, here's to peas!
And here's to my mom who forced me to "eat those awful green things!"... Now if I can only get my own kids to eat green...
Mom knows best, RIGHT!
When I find the healthiest way to eat these things I will let you know, in the meantime, I am going to sneak them into my kids food. What the kids don't know, won't hurt them, RIGHT!
